Received: 08-05-2023 / Accepted: 05-01-2024
This study was conducted to assess the effect of diets supplemented with soybean oil, flaxseed oil, and sacha inchi oils on egg production, egg quality, and egg yolk fatty acids profile. A total of 128 Egyptian hybrid laying hens of 28 weeks of age were divided into 4 experimental groups coresponding to 4 different diets. Birds were fed one of four diets consisting of a control diet (DC), a SB15 diet (DC + 1.5% soybean oil), a FO15 diet (DC + 1.5% flaxseed oil), and a SI15 diet (DC + 1.5% sacha inchi oil). The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. The study results showed no significant differences in final body weight, average weekly egg production, and FCR per 10 eggs were observed between the DC diet and experimental diets (P >0.05). However, during the entire experimental period, the average egg weight (g/egg) of laying hens fed FO15 and SI15 diets was higher (P <0.05) than the DC diet (64.54 and 64.23 vs 62.85 g). Egg quality traits were not affected by the supplementation of vegetable oils (P >0.05). However, dietary supplementation of flaxseed oil (FO15) and sacha inchi oil (SI15) led to significant increase in egg yolk polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially a high level of egg yolk total omega-3 fatty acid (P <0.05). In conclusion, laying hens fed a diet supplemented with flaxseed or sacha inchi oils increased the level of omega-3 fatty acid in egg yolk without adverse effects on egg production, and egg quality characteristics.